Hope for the resumption of the Strait of Hormuz is dashed! The US-Iran standoff escalates, US military says mine-clearing will take 6 months.

Despite President Trump's announcement of an extension of the ceasefire with Iran, easing the risk of a significant escalation of hostilities, the game between the U.S. and Iran for control of the Strait of Hormuz continues. According to reports, on Wednesday, three ships were intercepted by Iran in the Persian Gulf and surrounding waters. At the same time, the U.S. military stated that since the blockade began, they have requested 31 ships to turn around or return to port. Additionally, the U.S. military reportedly needs six months to complete the minesweeping operation in the Strait of Hormuz. The latest developments have cast a shadow over the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, dealing a blow to hopes of resuming traffic through this key waterway. U.S.-Iran naval standoff escalates Currently, the Strait of Hormuz is facing a "double blockade" from the U.S. and Iran. Iran initially blocked the Strait of Hormuz at the beginning of the conflict, and although it was temporarily lifted, it was quickly reimposed. Following the breakdown of the first round of negotiations between the two sides, the U.S. officially began enforcing a "blockade order" on Iranian ports on April 13 to respond to Iran's control of the Strait of Hormuz and break the negotiation stalemate. Before the outbreak of the Middle East conflict, approximately one-fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas was transported through this waterway. According to reports from media sources like CCTV News, the U.S. Central Command recently stated that since implementing the blockade in the Strait of Hormuz on April 14, they have requested 31 ships to turn around or return to port. The U.S. Central Command also mentioned that currently, the U.S. is deploying the "most comprehensive and powerful force ever" in the entire Middle East. Meanwhile, on the 22nd local time, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps intercepted three ships in the Persian Gulf and surrounding waters. It was reported that two ships belonging to the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) were intercepted by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards when attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz and were unable to proceed; another Greek-owned ship was also intercepted and is currently in Iranian territorial waters. Currently, the timing of the second round of negotiations between the U.S. and Iran remains uncertain. The U.S. blockade of Iran has become a significant obstacle to restarting negotiations between the two sides. On the 22nd local time, the Speaker of the Iranian Islamic Consultative Assembly and chief negotiator, Kalibaf, stated that a comprehensive ceasefire would only be meaningful if the maritime blockade was lifted and the "global economic coercion actions" were stopped. He emphasized that in the face of the blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement by the U.S., it is impossible to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Previously, on the 19th, the U.S. Central Command announced that the US Navy fired on an Iranian cargo ship heading to the port of Abbas in Iran in an attempt to break the blockade, causing it to lose propulsion. Subsequently, U.S. Marines boarded and took control of the ship. On the 21st, the Iranian Foreign Ministry issued a statement strongly condemning the U.S. attack on the Iranian vessel in the Arabian Gulf on the 19th and demanded the immediate release of the detained ship and its crew. A senior official from the Pakistani government stated on the 22nd that Pakistan has called on the U.S. to end the maritime blockade of Iran to facilitate the stalled U.S.-Iran negotiation process. The official stated that they have received information from the U.S. suggesting that the detained Iranian ships may be released. Pakistan also hopes for the release of the detained Iranian crew members. It is currently unclear when the detained ships and crew members will be released. Minesweeping operation to take six months Meanwhile, it was reported that the Pentagon revealed that the U.S. military will need six months to completely clear the naval mines laid by the Iranian military in the Strait of Hormuz, and mine clearance operations are unlikely to proceed before the end of the conflict. According to reports, a senior official from the U.S. Department of Defense made this assessment at a confidential briefing to members of the House Armed Services Committee that day. Members were informed that Iran may have laid 20 or more naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz and its surrounding waters. Some mines were remotely laid using satellite positioning system technology, making it difficult for the U.S. military to detect them at the time of deployment; others were laid by Iranian forces using small boats. It was reported that Iran began laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz in March after the outbreak of the conflict between the U.S. and Iran. According to the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency, Iran has over 5,000 naval mines, and considering the shallow waters and narrow channels of the strait, these mines could be very effective. Currently, it is unclear how the U.S. military will clear these mines, but some officials have indicated that drones and helicopters could be viable options. This timetable has frustrated lawmakers from both the Democratic and Republican parties, as it means that the current impact of the conflict on the U.S. economy, especially fuel prices, may continue until later this year or even longer. According to data from the American Automobile Association (AAA), the average price of gasoline in the U.S. on Wednesday was $4.02 per gallon, significantly higher than the approximately $2.98 before the U.S. and Israel launched attacks on Iran. The continued interruption of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz could weaken the Republican Party's chances in the upcoming midterm elections. The majority of Americans do not welcome this war, as a recent poll showed that over half of voters believe President Trump bears a significant responsibility for the surge in gasoline prices. This article is reprinted from The Financial Alliance, GMTEight Editor: Chen Wenfang.